which men call Iuoryeâ— Aliue or dead the Flea doth nothing else But troubleth euery one whereas he dwels If this be true as I in nothing li'de Why pause you to giue sentence on my side Thus did the Elephant lay ope his case And then with silence to the Flea gaue place What quoth Heraclite did he gaine his suite What said the Flea was he not quight strucke mute Tell me Democritus what said the elfe Euen thus quoth he he answered for him selfe Graue arbitrators now your selues haue tride This beastes proud arrogance and daring pride But heare me plead with patience for the Fleas Then may you giue your censure as you please Th' one part vnheard who lets his verdit passe Though he iudge right no vpright iudge he was I knowe you doe reserue th' one eare for me Though not so great a beast aswell as he Indeed I was not hid as in a Tombe For two yeeres space within my mothers wombe Yet looke what oddes is betweene slyme and dust Such difference is twixt our beginnings iustâ— At first the earth did eu'ry creature breed Yet he contemnes the earth as impure seed Proud beast who dares our common mother call Impure and bace th' earth's mother of vs all But he triumphes in his vnweildye masse Let this goe currant it will come to passe That you my Lords and all beasts else saue he Yea euen the Lyons selfe despis'd shall be He would ore crowe me for I am so small Let this be suffred hee 'l out-braue you all Vertue consists not in the quantitie But rather is an inward qualitie We more esteeme the little Rhemora Then the huge Whale this little fish can stay A Ship that 's vnder sayle in her swift course In a rough storme gainst winde and waters force Who makes a doâ—t but little Philomel ' The yron stomackt Estridge doth excell And though faire Ladyes much esteeme her coate Shee more delights them with her sugred noate The Ceder then the Vine is much more tall And yet the Vine is more esteem'd of all What wants in stature oftentimes we finde Nature repayes it double in the minde But with his mightye strength he doth me presse Gainst which I set mine actiue nimblenesse If that he fall he cannot rise againe But like a logge he lyes vpon the plaine By this meanes is he made the hunters praye When with a halfe out tree they him betray In that great battaile and that bloudie fraye Betwixt the beasts and birds we lost the day Not through their streÌ„gth as they themselues confesse But rather through their actiue nimblenesse My seruice that day to you all 's woll knowne And therefore need not vauntingly be showne Then was I well esteem'd of great and least Who then made dout if that I were a beast I see a Soldiers seruice is forgot In time of peace the worlde regards vs not But to proceed he praâ—es of fortitude And that he 's valiant would faine conclude He counts strength valour but he judgeth wrong Who â—aith the Oake hath valour yet 't is strong But he he saith hath many battailes fought I but true valour neuer danger sought Rashnes it selfe doth into perill thrust That 's onely valour where the quarrel 's iust But when as vnsought danger doth betide His prowesse then true valour will not hide For such as wiâ—hout all foresight are bolde Foole hardye and not valiant we holde Let this great warriour I pray you shewe For what iust cause these warres he did pursueâ— What is he mute then I the cause will tell For that his Lord to fight did him compell He saith that man his help doth ofte times craue It 's false he doth commaund him as his slaue No doe not thinke such judgements to delude Amongst some fooles vaunt of thy seruitude Men vse your seruice often to their cost For one day 's wonne through you there are three loâ—t Not warre alone but other fearâ—ull things And chiefly such as death ofte with it brings Are fortitudes true objectsâ— heerin lyes His châ—ifest force these perrils to despise When man with pressing nayle seekes me to kill My guts about my heeles I march on still And though in this great broyle I was â—eere slaiâ—e The daunger past I boldely bite againe Was thy Syre's valour thinkst thou like to this When as thou fought gainst proud Semiramis Hast thou no wound may be thou wilt not start But I fight hauing lost my hinder parte Euen halfe my body being tane away I flye not but dare still maintaine the fray I dare aduenture in each dangerous place And beard the boldest Ruffen to his face What dare I not I knowe that I am fâ—ee And doe enioy most perfect libertie He brags that he is entertain'd of Kings And so am I but yet for diuers thinges He as a drudge or as a sturdie slaue My company at bed and boord they 'l haue The fayrest Ladyes that doe liue in Court Will sometime entertaine me in such sort As he would hang himselfe to finde the grace But once to harbour in so sweet a place O this is such a sweet felicitieâ— That men enuying my prosperitie Haue wisht to be transformed into Fleas That so they better might their fancie please By this desire of theirs is plainly showne They thought my state was better then their owne And therefore men for all thy haughty vaunts Neuer desire to become Elephantsâ— For if they so were chang'd they plainly seeâ— Their state should be made worsse not betterd beeâ— My shape they wish for thereby to obtaine This libertye which else they cannot gaine The coyest dames in Citie or in Court Affoord the Flea free scope him selfe to sport In their softe bosomes and without denay At his best pleasure he may lower stray I say no more of this least I be blam'd But thus conclude I am a Courtier fram'd My face and legges will suite a Prince his hall For th' one I knowe is smooth the other small Vaunt on and spare not of thy mighâ—y foes I will reioyce I haue such freinds as those Much of thy sober dyet thou doost preach The Fox hates grapes when they 'r out of his reach So needy beggers speake of pouertie And gelded men vaunt of their chastitie Thou neuer knewst what better dyet ment And therefore arte with such base stuffe content Man who deuoures both birds and beasts and fish Will spare his bloud for me to be my dish Thus I reuenge the bloud of beasts arâ— slainâ— To feed his paunch and shed his bloud againe I thinke in this thou quit'st vs free from lust In that thou saist we breed out of the dust Thou tel'st vs also of thy curtesie Are these the markes of thy nobilitie These vertues which thou nam'dst may gentrie tryeâ— But wherein art thou nobler yet then I That thou canst learne to knowe a Letter â—ush I count that learning hardly worth a rush To what good purpoâ—e canst
beast quoth he vaunted euen now Each other beast would at his presence bow And see a little Mouse doth make him quake No meruaile though the very trees did shake For awfull feare as he along did passe Is this the beast sure it some other was But since the little Mouse which I did chuse For that he is thy â—oe thou dost refuse I 'le name an other though I might defend Me from the Bull because he is thy freind Thy freind said I you 'r of one kindred all For Bulles of Affricke some folke did you call I refuse none from greatest to the least And loe the Wesell that same Princely beaâ—t Who arm'd with Rue aduentrously dares â—ight With the soule Baâ—â—liske which killes with sight He dares encounter that same poysâ—nous breath Which vnto many mortâ—lles causeth dâ—â—th That Prince shall be my dayes-man if he please I choose him arbitrator for the Fleas Imagine all agreed the dayes-men set Bent to decide the cause for which they met The Elephant did first the silence breake For 't was his lot that he the first should speake The arbitrators had such order tane That either should his owne cause first explaine Without all interrupting or impeach If th' one then could except gainst th' others speach He briefly should declare wherein and why And they would giue theiâ— censure by and by The Elephant by lot the first place wins And thus with bolde erectâ—d lookes begins My Lords who set to arbitrate our cause I hope you shall not need long time to pause To passe your censure when both partes you heare For I shall make it very plaine appeare This little Skip-iack beast his worth is small Why grace I him so much no beast at all For eu'ry beast produceth his owne kinde But Fleas to breed of sweat and dust we finde As his beginning is obscure and bace So of his life is the whole course and race Yet graunt he were a beast graunt him so much What judgement is so blinde to thinke him such As that he may be likened vnto me Whose breath oreturnes ten thousand such as heâ— Looke on our statures see what oddes there is Such difference is there 'twixt my worth and his His person 's little little is his worth What acte praise-worthy can such dwarffs bring forth You see my limbes are large my ioynts are strong Able to further right or right my wrong Let me speake boldely ther 's no beast in field But that for strength to me will easely yeild Beholde my Lords this Castle-bearing backe And thinke what strength is in this dwarfish iack Yet durst the elfe prouoke me to the fight Well might the world henceforth contemne my might If with this atomye I should contend But too much time in that 's well knowne I spend Leauing the bodye let 's come to the minde How many vertues therein shall you finde My fortitude in this most plaine appeares That man who rule ouer all creatures beares Haue often vs'de my seruice in the warres Euen Kings of men in their most bloudy iarres One gainst an other vs'de my help and ayde Who euer in their warres the â—leas help pray'de The Kings of wealthy Iâ—dye vs doe chuse As their chiefe champions and our help vse In all their battailes and in vs doth stand Their confidence and hope of all their band And not without great cause for I haue beene Whereas my father fighting I haue seene His rider being downe and almost slaine He wich his trunke did set him vp againe And forth his bleeding wounds the arrowes drewe Did neuer Flea like haughtye courage â—â—ewe Nay more we fought ô let me vaunt of this Gainst the worlds wonder proud Sâ—â—iraâ—â—â— Gainst her we â—ought gainâ—t her we did preuails When as the King of Ind ' she duâ—st aâ—â—aile Let my foe shewe when he waâ— such a fâ—â—ld And I the victoâ—y to hiâ— will yeild He turnes his feeble might against his friend And suckes their bloud who doe him harbour lend But I conuert my force against my â—oes The wakefull Dragon and Rhenoceros Arm'd with strong scales and with a peircing horne Vpon his wreakeâ—ull nose who holdes in scorne But once to speake to such a wreâ—ch as thee Yet both their â—orces cannot conquer mee To proue my fortitude this shall suffice Because I knowe my Lords you both are wise Now if my dyet you will estimâ—te I douâ— not you will graunt me temperate For temperance consisteth as I thinke Cheifly in th'vsage of our meat and drinke And Venus sports in these this vertue 's plaste He 's temperate who sober is and chaste My food is such as from the earth doth spring I liue not by the death of any thing I feed not as the Flea on others blood But the greene grasâ—e conâ—ents me for my food My drinke is such as the cleere Fountaines giâ—eâ— And thus doe I not harming others liue As for the vsage of the acte of kinde Not any beast more temp'rate shall you finde We bath our selues both before câ—iâ—â—re As likewise when 't is done thus aâ—e we suâ—e T' auoyd vncleannes and our selues suffice To vse this whilst we liue but twiâ—e or thrice In our liues length our temp'rature appeeres For many of vs liâ—â— three hundreth yeeâ—es Whilst such as thou the truth if you 'l confesse Shorten your liues with ryot and excesse Phisitians which can boâ—â—h vp your health Like vultures whilst you liue pray on your wealth As garments which are rent boâ—chers peece ore Your crazie bodyes they with drugges restore Thus are your liues a liuing miserie And death 's procur'd by some extremitie But I with temperance my life prolongâ— And ne're with Phiâ—icke doe â—y body wrongâ— My hope of health in mine owne guiding standsâ— I list not put my life int'others hands O thrice vnhappy he whose good or ill Stands in th' aduenture of an others skill Now will I speake of prudence which in deed Should haue bene spoke of fâ—â—st buâ—â—le proâ—eedâ— Religion which should be naturall As meate and drinke as common vnto allâ— Though it of some slightly regarded be Yet is esteem'd and practised by me Of prudence this I holde the cheifest part From seruice of the Gods no whit to start And to be briefe I carry such a braine Of Letters I the knowledge can attaine What would you more euen this same excellence Betwixt vs two declares the difference Heer might I speake of iustice I wrong none But giue that which is due to euery one Of curtesiâ— heere might I something say How when I meete one straying from his way I doe direct him how his course to bend And him from force of hurtfull beastes defend I could say more but what need more be said I onely this will adde all beastes were made To serue the vse of man who doth this best In this approues him nobler then the rest My strength auailes him much and when I dye I leaue my teeth
thou this applye Buâ— I am skilfull in Astronomye I can foretell what weaâ—her sâ—all ensue And thereof before hand by signes I shewe When I bite sore the Plow-man knoweth plaiâ—e Foretolde by me he shortly shall haue raine When hâ— doth snorâ— secure I him awake That to good thoughts himselfe he may betakeâ— Thus doe I wisely things farre off foresee And not such onely as before me bee Art thou religious I am so too For looke what men awak't by me sâ—all doe Is mineâ— mine are their vowes and prayers allâ— What good they then shall doe I may mine call And to be briefe thus I conclude in fine All that they thinke or say or doe is mine Thou saist thy teeth are good they are but whenâ— When thou art dead they 'r neuer good till then What good thou liuing doost that is thine all But good done after death scarce ours I callâ— How long thou liu'st I care not nor can tell How long we liue it skils not but how wellâ— And for mans seruice I come not behindeâ— He proffits but the bodye I the minde Thus haue you heard my Lords both him and 〈◊〉 And both of vs awaiâ—e for your decree If that he doe except against my speech With fauour heare mine answer I beseech Thus did the Fâ—ea me thoughâ— conclude his Theameâ— At which I heaâ—tily laught euen in my dreame How now Heracâ—â—â—â—s doost not laugh yet At what quoth he me thinks this tale should â—et Teares from the hardest flinâ— laugh I doost aske What to see vice thus put on vertues maskeâ— To heare a villaine tell so smooâ—h a â—ale And hipocrites set vp so full a saile To see how great ones still would greater beâ— And none contented with their owne degreâ—â— How lightly others vertues some doe weigh Whilst that selfe loue doth beare so great a swayeâ— O when I heare that beasts vse reaâ—on then I weep to thinke beasts liâ—e in shape of men But on I pray you on your dreame pursue And let me knowe what verdit did ensue Nay stay quoth he you are too forward â—ie First pray you heare the Elephants replye My Lords quoth he before you furâ—her goe I pray you heare me speake a worde or two Mine enemye thinkes with a gloâ—ing tongue And smooth filde speech to boulâ—ter out his wrong Thou tels how great ones doe thee entertaineâ— And yet euen those thy company disdaine But doe they â—arbour tâ—ee and giue thee foodâ— The more vngratefull thou to sucke their blood This is the wicked custome of our dayes To seeke theiâ— ruyne who first did them raise Foule sinne hath set her markes vpon thy backe And like her selfe hatâ— cloathed thee in blacke Doe Ladyes harbour thee thou doost them wrong They all would rather haue thy roome then throng Too many such intruding mates we haue Who boast how Ladyes doe their presence craue Thou rau'st gainsâ— great ones rail'st against their life Such foule mouth'd curres are now adayes too riâ—e So vse base groomes seeking themselues to raiseâ— Discredit others others doe dispraiseâ— Wanting desert he to your fauour flyes But heerin as I thinke true bountie lyes That you may be enforced to wrong none For that you doe entend to giue to one For many often-times such gifts doe make They are inforst from others for to take The enuye of my greatnes makes him speake He must haue vent or his swolne hearâ— will breakeâ— As shadowes still attend vpon the Sunne So glory yeâ— could neuer enuye shunne Where as fire is there alwayes will be smoake Enuye will euer seeke vertue to choake Thus haue you â—eard in briefe what I can say Thus ends my speech I for your censure stay But theâ— the Flea yet heare me a 〈◊〉 words According to your order reuerent Lords He sayes mongst great ones I my selfe intrude And then doth charge me with ingratitude O see how well his speeches doe agree Obserue them well you 'l finde them contrary Either their entertaine must willing be Or from ingratitude acquit me free Am I in debt to him who did me good Yet to his power alwaves the same withstood The wise oft-times reap profit from their foes Yet who accounts them bounden vnto those If that turne good which for my hurt was ment I le thanke my fortune and not his intent But was he willing then I may conclude He wrongs me much who saith I did intrude Fauour and force neuer so well agree That both at once can in one subject bee But when he sawe his speech truth's colour lacke He wrangles at my colour cause t is blacke Mislikes he blacke heerat much meruaile I He neuer could abide his contrary He knowes not well what 't is stands in his light He neither can away with blacke nor white I enuye not thy greatnes for with all Such as thou art I knowe will be thy fall Little I am and little will I say But heere I end and doe your verdit pray Heroclitâ— said shewe what their censure wasâ— I long to heare on which side it did passe Then must you lose your longing I le be plaine Or else must stay vntill I dreame againe I thought to heare the verdit to drawe neare And so awak't and thus my dreame you heare What dost not laugh ' thou art no man at all Laughter to man is alway naturall And to man onely if thou bee'st not such Though thou laugh not I will not meruaile much No man quoth he why dost thou count him none Who is not toucht with each affection Well be it so although I laugh not now I could if I see cause as well as thou But heere were rather greater cause to weepe If cause of either can proceed from sleepe For when as all these â—oggie fumes are spent Which to the braine were from the stomacke sent Our restlesse phantasies repeat things ore Which we imagined the day defore For nothing comes in our intellgence Which was not let in by the doore of sence The seu'rall thinges which we awake recite In dreames our â—ancies oftentimes vnite As when of golde and mountaines hath bene tolde Our dreames present vs mountaines all of golde We talke of horses and of flying things And then we dreame of horses that haue wings T is like of beasts and strife hath beene thy theame And that from thence proceedes this idle dreame Idle doost call it quoth Democritus Yet rather had I thou shouldst terme it thus Then to interpret or to wrest it so As curious and busie heads would doe What by the Flea what by the Dog was ment What by the Elephant was his intent They 'l ayme at this and that perticuler And each thing as it pleaseth them transfer Such fooles as these would descant on my dreame And it interpret as it best shall seeme To their weake wit and blunt capacitye Censure each worde each sentence misapplye If I should light on such a giddie asse I 'd scorne to answer him but